The Dungeon lord : Women, power and monsters

Chapter 33: Chapter 33 : Failure

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-hes_igh

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He stepped toward Tolu.

Ore raised her bow. "Don’t."

The adventurer glanced at her.

"You really think that bow will stop me?"

Ore’s fingers tightened.

Tolu stepped in front of her. "Don’t shoot."

She looked at him. "He’ll hurt you."

"I know."

The adventurer walked closer. "You have one chance." He pointed toward the forest. "Walk away."

Tolu shook his head. "No."

The man’s eyes narrowed. "Then don’t blame me."

He lunged. Tolu barely dodged. The adventurer’s fist passed beside his face.

Tolu stumbled. He wasn’t fast enough. He knew it. The man attacked again.

Tolu ducked.

Then rolled.

The blow struck the tree behind him. The bark exploded from the impact. Tolu stared at the damaged trunk. That punch would have broken something.

Maybe his ribs.

Maybe worse.

He backed away.

The adventurer stepped toward him.

"You should have listened."

Tolu couldn’t win. That thought was immediate. He couldn’t overpower the man.

He couldn’t match his speed.

And unlike the Mirefangs, this man knew exactly what he was doing.

Tolu had one advantage.

He knew the terrain.

He ran.

The adventurer followed. Tolu ducked beneath a branch.

The man followed without slowing. Tolu changed direction.

The man predicted it. A hand grabbed his shoulder. Tolu twisted. The grip tightened.

He couldn’t break free.

The adventurer pulled him around. "Enough."

Tolu looked at him. Then smiled.

The man frowned. "What?"

Tolu kicked the dirt. The adventurer instinctively closed his eyes. Tolu broke free.

He ran. "You’re really annoying!"

Tolu laughed. "You noticed?"

He sprinted toward Ore.

She understood immediately.

She had already positioned herself behind another tree.

The Ironfang was between them.

The adventurer realized the trap too late.

Ore fired.

The arrow struck the ground beside the wolf.

The beast turned.

Tolu shouted. "Come on!"

The Ironfang charged toward him.

Tolu ran.

The adventurer shouted. "Stop!"

Tolu ignored him.

He led the wolf toward the narrow passage between two trees.

The adventurer followed.

Then Tolu pulled another rope.

A heavy branch dropped from above.

The Ironfang dodged.

The branch crashed into the ground.

Tolu’s heart sank.

It had anticipated the trap.

The Ironfang turned.

It was now facing Ore and she froze.

It charged violently in her direction.

"ORE!" She fired.

The arrow struck the wolf’s chest.

It slowed down only for a few seconds before it resumed its pace.

Ore drew another arrow.

Too slow.

The Ironfang reached her.

She threw herself sideways.

The claws tore through her sleeve.

Ore hit the ground.

Her bow flew from her hand.

The wolf turned.

It raised its paw.

Tolu’s heart stopped.

He ran.

The adventurer moved too.

But Tolu was closer.

He grabbed Ore and pulled her away.

The wolf’s claws struck the ground where her head had been.

Ore stared at him. "Tolu..."

"Run!"

She scrambled backward.

The adventurer attacked the wolf.

His weapon struck its shoulder.

The Ironfang staggered.

Tolu grabbed Ore’s bow. "Can you stand?"

"Yes."

"Then move."

Ore picked herself up.

Tolu turned toward the wolf.

His breathing was heavy.

His arms hurt.

His legs were beginning to feel weak.

The adventurer was bleeding from his forehead.

The Ironfang was covered in wounds.

Everyone was exhausted.

Nobody had won.

The adventurer looked at the wolf.

Then at Tolu. "We’re losing control of this."

Tolu nodded. "For once, I agree."

The wolf suddenly roared.

The sound shook the forest.

Birds exploded from the trees.

The Ironfang charged again.

The adventurer raised his weapon.

Tolu grabbed Ore. "Stay back."

The man glanced at him. "Don’t interfere."

Tolu looked at him.

"You stay out of my way."

The Ironfang slammed into the adventurer.

He blocked.

The impact forced him to his knees.

Tolu saw the opening.

The wolf’s side was exposed.

He ran toward it.

Not to attack.

To touch it.

His ring glowed.

Tolu reached out.

His fingers were inches from the Ironfang.

Then the adventurer shoved him aside.

"Get away!"

Tolu crashed into the dirt.

The Ironfang twisted.

The adventurer swung.

He wasn’t trying to kill it.

But the wolf moved at the wrong moment.

The weapon struck deep into its side.

Everything stopped.

The adventurer’s expression changed.

His eyes widened.

The Ironfang staggered.

Tolu slowly stood.

The wolf took one step.

Then another.

Its legs gave out.

It collapsed.

Silence.

Tolu stared.

The adventurer stared.

Ore stared.

Blood slowly spread beneath the Ironfang.

Tolu’s eyes widened. "No..."

The adventurer pulled his weapon free.

The wolf didn’t move.

Tolu rushed toward it.

He touched its fur.

His ring remained dark.

Nothing happened.

Tolu’s heart sank.

He touched it again.

Nothing.

The Dungeon Lord’s power didn’t respond.

The beast was dead.

Tolu’s hand trembled.

"No, no, no..."

Ore approached slowly. "Tolu?"

He didn’t answer.

He stared at the corpse.

They had spent weeks preparing.

They had risked their lives.

They had come all this way.

And now the Ironfang was dead.

Not captured.

Not defeated by him.

Dead.

The adventurer looked down at the body.

His face was hard. "I told you I needed it alive."

Tolu slowly turned toward him. "You killed it."

The man stared at him. "It was attacking me."

"You struck it."

"You were interfering."

"You were the one who came here!"

The adventurer’s jaw tightened. "And you were the one who refused to leave."

Tolu’s fists clenched.

Neither of them could take back what had happened.

The Ironfang was dead.

And neither of them had gotten what they wanted.

The forest slowly became quiet again.

The pack had disappeared. Sensing the death of their leader they fled.

Whatever remained of them had fled after their leader’s death.

The adventurer stood over the Ironfang.

He examined the wound.

His expression became increasingly frustrated.

Tolu could tell.

This wasn’t simply disappointment.

The man had lost something important.

"You’ve been tracking this thing for weeks."

The adventurer didn’t look at him.

"Yes."

"And now it’s dead."

"Yes." Tolu stared at the corpse.

He felt hollow.

He had been so close.

If he had touched it even once before that strike...

The thought made him angry.

He looked at the adventurer. "If you hadn’t attacked me..."

"If you hadn’t gotten in my way..."

"You started this."

"No." The adventurer finally looked at him.

"You did."

Tolu stepped forward.

Ore immediately grabbed his arm. "Tolu."

He stopped.

The adventurer looked between them.

"You two are lucky."

Tolu frowned. "Lucky?"

"You walked into Level Two territory with a trap that barely worked." His eyes moved toward the broken ropes. "Then you picked a fight over a creature you had no business handling."

Tolu’s expression hardened. "You weren’t exactly harmless."

"I wasn’t the one who nearly got killed."

Tolu wanted to argue.

But he couldn’t.

They had nearly died.

Several times.

The man turned toward the corpse. "I wanted this wolf alive."

He paused. "I’ve spent weeks tracking it."

Tolu remained silent.

The adventurer looked at him again. "And now I’ve got nothing."

Tolu looked down. "So do we."

The man’s eyes narrowed. "What did you want?"

Tolu immediately realized his mistake.

"Nothing."

The adventurer studied him.

Then smiled faintly. "You’re a terrible liar."

Tolu said nothing.

The man turned away. " I’m not interested in your reasons."

He looked back once. "But if we meet again, stay out of my way."

Tolu’s eyes hardened. "You do the same."

The adventurer smiled without humor. "Then perhaps we’ll understand each other next time."

He walked away.

Tolu watched him disappear between the trees.

Ore stood beside him.

Neither spoke for several seconds.

Finally, Tolu looked at the dead Ironfang.

His ring remained silent.

The creature would never become part of his dungeon.

All those weeks of planning had ended with nothing.

And somewhere in the back of his mind, another thought began to grow.

If capturing a single Level Two beast was this difficult...

How was he supposed to survive a war against an entire dungeon?

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